1. Technical Field
This invention generally relates to dental care. More particularly, the invention relates to a toothbrush. Specifically, the invention relates to a manual toothbrush having a stand pivotally mounted to the handle and movable between a collapsed position, where it is disposed adjacent the handle, and an extended position where it angles outwardly from the handle, and when the stand is in the extended position it can be placed on a surface to hold the head and bristles of the brush off the surface.
2. Background Information
Both power and manual toothbrush heads need to be rinsed off after each use to dislodge debris removed from the teeth during brushing. This is typically accomplished by holding the head under running tap water. While rinsing removes most of the material trapped in the bristles, it is also necessary and recommended to allow the brush to dry as this creates a less hospitable environment for most bacteria that may remain on the bristles. Previously, most bathrooms in homes were provided with a wall-mounted toothbrush fixture which was designed to retain several toothbrushes After rinsing, the handle of the brush would be inserted through an aperture in the fixture and the head would rest on a support and would air-dry.
The design of present-day toothbrushes, however, has rendered these fixtures essentially useless because of the changes in handle design and materials. These changes have resulted in larger, rubber grip handles that cannot be inserted through the apertures in the toothbrush fixtures. Additionally, many people are no longer comfortable with putting their brushes in close proximity to those of other people, even members of their own family, as it is now commonly known that infections can be easily passed from one family member's oral care products to another. People are also not comfortable resting their toothbrushes on bathroom countertops and then placing them into their mouth.
In response to this dilemma, many people resort to using a drinking glass or other similar container for holding and drying toothbrushes. Once again, however, people are not comfortable placing their toothbrush with others in such glasses. The ideal air drying technique for brushes to is to have the bristles facing downwardly so that rinse water and other foreign materials can drip off the bristles under the influence of gravity. When brushes are stood upright, the water and foreign materials tend to drip from one region of bristles to another. If the brush is laid on a surface with the bristles extending upwardly then the water and trapped materials tend to flow downwardly toward the base of the bristles, thereby creating a wet, favorable environment in which bacteria can flourish.
Traveling is also an issue as hotels do not make provision for a suitable place for resting one's toothbrush. The counter is an especially unsuitable place for resting the brush and the types of plastic cups that are provided in hotels are lightweight and will tend to fall over if a brush is placed in it.
Several patents have been directed toward addressing this issue. U.S. Pat. No. 851,550 issued to Nevius disclosed a guard that slides onto the handle of the toothbrush. The purpose of the guard, according to the patent, is twofold. Firstly, it stops the water, toothpaste and removed material from sliding down the handle and onto the user's hand. Secondly, it was designed to support the bristle portion of the brush so when the brush is laid down, the bristle portion will be aired. While the guard might accomplish the purpose of shielding the user's hand during brushing, the shape of the guard is such that if the brush were to be laid down on a counter it might roll off the same or the brush might tip in such a manner that the head is caused to rest on the counter instead of being lifted off the same. Furthermore, the guard is an obstruction on the handle and would likely make the brush sufficiently difficult to hold that the user will remove the same.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,875,516 issued to Blue, also discloses a guard that is slidingly engaged on the handle of a toothbrush to prevent slurry from sliding down the handle and onto the hands of the user. Most of the shapes of the guard would not encourage the toothbrush to roll off the counter and would act as a sufficient support so that the head of the brush may air-dry. Again, however, the guard is an obstruction on the handle. This guard is sufficiently large enough that it might also be a problem for the user during actual brushing of the teeth as the guard extends away from the brush handle to such a degree that it might strike the user's chin or cheek.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,907,638 issued to Katz, teaches a toothbrush that has a stand slidably engaged on the end of the handle. The stand includes three legs and allows the user to store the brush in an upright position on a flat surface. The stand is made from a flexible or resilient material that allows the user to hold the stand against the handle during the brushing operation so that it doesn't become an obstruction during brushing.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,253,406 issued to Holland, discloses a toothbrush that has a specially designed handle. The handle includes an inner region to which the head is attached. The inner region also includes an enlarged area that has a plurality of fluted paths formed therein. A movable ring is provided that includes several shafts that are designed to slide up and down the fluted paths. When the ring is moved in a first direction, the shafts are retracted against the handle and the brush may be used for brushing teeth. When the ring is moved in a second direction, the shafts slide outwardly beyond the head of the brush and become legs upon which the toothbrush can stand for drying. When the shafts are extended in this manner, the brush is in an inverted position with the head in close proximity to the surface upon which the legs rest. One of the problems with this design is that the fluted paths will tend to act as guides for slurry to flow down toward the user's hand. This may allow liquid and materials removed from the teeth to become trapped beneath the shafts and in the flutes. The inner surface of the shafts and the flutes may then become breeding grounds for bacteria. Consequently, when the brush is inverted and liquid flows out of the flutes and off the shafts, some of these bacteria might be entrained in the liquid and be deposited directly onto the head of the brush.
Finally, U.S. Pat. No. 7,246,400 issued to Ryan, shows an alternative method of protecting the head of a toothbrush. The patent discloses a brush that incorporates a pivotable cover. The handle includes a pocket into which the cover may be rotated so that the handle is easily grasped during brushing. When the user wishes to store the brush, the cover is pivoted out of the pocket and over the bristles. This design is also problematic from a hygenic point of view. When the cover is retained within the pocket the interior chamber of the cover faces outwardly. Consequently when the user brushes their teeth, liquid and removed materials slide down the handle onto the user's hand and at least partially into the chamber of the cover. Obviously, the user will run the brush, including the handle, under the tap to remove this mixture of toothpaste and removed materials, but this will cause water to flow into the cover. Consequently, when the cover is rotated over the bristles, water droplets trapped in the chamber of the cover will drip onto the bristles. Instead of aiding the bristles to dry, this cover is more likely to create a dark, wet environment in which bacteria will tend to multiply.
There is therefore a need in the art for an improved toothbrush that can rest on a horizontal surface in a sanitary manner to allow the bristles to dry easily and which does not include obstructions that will interfere with the user's hand during brushing.